Investigating the impact of load shedding on municipal service delivery at Makhado Local Municipality

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of load shedding on the effective and sustainable delivery of municipal services in Mashau, Bodwe Village, within Makhado Local Municipality. The study focused on both municipal officials and community members. A mixed-methods approach guided by the pragmatic paradigm was adopted, using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews for data collection. A parallel convergent design was used to analyze and integrate findings from both qualitative and quantitative data. The findings revealed that load shedding significantly disrupts municipal service delivery, leading to delays in essential services such as the issuing of identity documents, social grant processing, and healthcare services due to network failures during power outages. Water and sanitation services were also severely affected as electricity-dependent systems were interrupted, resulting in reduced access to clean water and poor service efficiency. Municipal officials further reported decreased productivity and increased community dissatisfaction. The study concludes that load shedding undermines effective and sustainable service delivery at the local level. It recommends installing backup power systems in critical municipal departments, improving energy contingency planning, and strengthening collaboration between municipalities and energy providers to ensure continuity of essential services during power disruptions.